Refinery collapse still affecting fuel supplies

Gill Marsh Forecourts runs four garages across Lincolnshire

The manager of a Lincolnshire garage chain has said her business was still struggling to get fuel supplies two weeks after the Lindsey Oil Refinery filed for insolvency.

Lois Dant runs three Gill Marsh Forecourts petrol stations in Ulceby Cross, Partney and Bilsby.

She said that they received no fuel for four days last week as the company they had a delivery contract with was owned by the refinery firm Prax.

Ms Dant said they were forced to pay more and get deliveries from other suppliers from as far away as Liverpool.

"Demand is high and it's quite difficult to get some people who can deliver," she said.

"With having no fuel available in a rural area we've had a quite a few customers running out of fuel on the forecourt.

"The nearest garage to us is half an hour away and they've had to call friends to drive to other garages with a fuel can."

The refinery owned by Prax Group filed for insolvency on 29 June, putting 420 jobs at risk.

The government stepped in and said an agreement had been reached to keep the site at Immingham operating and resume deliveries.

Ms Dant said the shortages had also affected sales in the garage shops, with overall takings down 50%.

She called on the government to try and get another company to take over the refinery "so we are able to get another supplier and we can start selling fuel".

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